Game



March so, 1926. 7 1,578,402

C.C.CROSS GAME Filed July 11, 1925 a I I r I :i w my if a a; umm w m Paten d M r- 926,

CHARLES c. onossfor PHI ADELPHIA, PENNsYtvA-ivm.

GAME.

Application -filed July 11,. 1925. ser al No. 42,886.

To all whom it may concern:

Be-it'known'that I, CHARLES TC. Cnoss, a citizen of the United States of America,

residing in the city of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Games, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates'to a game known as Fort, consisting of the'board to be described, a number-indicating chance device as dice or a spinner, and soldiers, a suitable number;

to each player, In'the form of the game described, each player has four soldiers.

The plot or theory ofthe game is that the soldiers have been camping in' an outpost and are trying to reach the fort.

trated a board for use in playing the game of the invention. I v

i In the drawing- I Figure 1 is a plan of the board showing the layout of the game diagrammatically.

Figure 2 is afront elevation'of the board showing the thickness thereof and the hinge. Figure 3 is a similar elevation showing the board folded.

, cular lines concentric with the fort and of Figure 4 shows the dice and, soldiers.

The board B as shown is square, though it may be in any preferred "form. At the center is a fort 1 which may be in four divisions 1', ,1", 1", 1, one for each play-..

er cainps oroutposts 2, the latterwith the fort forming on the board a figure in thenature and .at the respective corners are four of a Maltese cross. The board also includes tunnels 3, entering thefortfro-meach side .intermediately of the adjacent camps from:

neutral grounds 5, between each of thetwo .outer 'margin of the board. The "neutral each side of the board.

The fort as aforesaid comprises a central area 1, and the board with the exception of the. neutral ground and the outposts or camps 2, is markedout with a series of cir uniformlyvarying, radius. In the illustration there are eight such circles dividing .the area between the fort, the adj acent; outposts and the neutral ground into a series of concentric arcuate strips or spaces 6.

adjacent, outposts or camps and. along the 'One of these arcuate spaces indicatedjby reference, character7 is marked with circles 8 indicatin'g that only two checkers or soldiers may occupy the trench at one time. This'space is the trench. The area between the trench or trenches and the fort, indicated by reference character9, and the portion 10 within the inner circle immediately adjacent the 'fort at the innerend of each outpost,is known as the trail by which the. soldiers progress from one trench to the other, the

outer area beyond thetrenches, i. e., between the trenches andthe neutral ground and between the adjacent outposts indicatedby ref- 7 erence character 13, is known as no-mans. H f land. I a In the accompanying drawing I have lllUS players, each; playing independently or as Ihave shown dice 15 andsoldiers 16. Inplaying. the game in the preprovided with .two dice or other number-in;- V

or soldiers. There may be'two, three or four partners in the case of four. players, the

respective partners sitting oppositely. :The players throw for turns and the player or turns progressing from player to player in. rotation to the right; ,A double entitles a six, until all four soldiers have been entered. A double countslt and maybe di the opposite side of the dice. The third double throw in-succession counts only. as

shown on the face of the dice and terminates the'players'turn or play. v

Each playerhas allotted to him a corner of the board and an individual outpost or camp where his four soldiers are placed until entered. Whenever vhe throws a six, he

placesone man in the trench 7 immediately throwing the highest has first go, theplays.

'vided by .usingthe combination as shown on to the left of his camp,. using the numbers thrown on each diceother than the number 6 to advance such man as he may select, and after all of the men are entered, using'all of 'the respective numbers through advancing the manto whom the numbers thrown are applied one circlefor each unit of the num ber thrown. Thetrenches are eight in numberand in them the soldlers are safe from capture as they are likewise in the neutral ground. Blocks cannot be formed in neutral ground and as many soldiers as desired may be placed in the neutral area. The circles' 'a-re counted from "the trenches inward by the trail two steps to'thewall of'the fort and then to the right. each line crossed-"being astep or unit. rTheg playersorossesvthe end of his outpost and then moves outward 1O radially to the end of no-mans land, proceeding across the neutral ground to his right to the next line-of spaoesinno ina'ms land onthe other side of the tunnel and ad- 'j acent'. the-'next"outposhwt hichline of spaces which represents v six bugle blasts. If six isa'coinbinationof 5 and 1,2 and et,.or.3 and 3, enterone soldier; if sixiis thrown with 1, 2,3,4 or 5, enter one-soldier and advance he succeeds in throwing a six with the dice, 7

--'rection to the fort walland hence" around to the right theznun iberz'of. spaces astindi- 80 .cated on tthe.other"d1ce; ifldouble.1s1xx1s thrown, entertwo soldiers. A sold rerun "or steps is "traversed .inwarcllydni-radial dithe hoard Yin -countei*clo'ckyvise direction .LtO

- the tunnel at the' players "left "of his own outpost or camp. Wheirthe" soldienireaches this tunnel; he" is advanced step" by step "as already "described. 'unt'ilf he enters the fort, the'ffinal entrance to thef'fort' counting" a sincamp must be entered \vhen sixisfthr'own.

The camp. or outpost isflthe.starting point and the place to 'ivhichsoldiersare "returned when captured The '-..soldiers l are supposed to be'camping in an outpost andtrying'to or to we'nter 'a"trench*- or neutral ground- *form' ablock. 'B'lo'cks can-1 only beforme'd 'in g-le'step'or unit. A double 'perInits 'the ad- 5 vanci'ng ofone or' an the 'soldiers;the' -total 25 of 'fourteen, the double 'bei-ng divide das afores said" by using the combination- 011the-oppo Site -side-of"thedice- A retreat -or backwa-rd move" can be '1 made only to capture a soldier or to form a -block reach their company. in'the fort (center) W Thetrenches are eightinnuniberandin them the soldiers :aresafef'fronr capture. The entrance trenches are tothell'e'ft oteac'h .blayer. 4 Twosoldiers'ofthe same color or partners in the same trench form a block. Only twoasoldiers.of'the samei'color' or partr ners' can occupy" sesame trench ElftllfiTSfiIl'lB time. 7 f,

The neutral grounds aret fourl.in number. This .space is absolutely. neutral: and" no-sol- "dier can be captured therein. "It inays' be .oc- 'cupie'chby any number of opposing-soldiers at the same time. Blo c kscanaiot beformed iirthe nentralgroundr The trail isthespace between theitren ches. The-re arefive spaces'ineach trail. Soldiers Soldiers cannot retreat "back of their ='en- "t'rancetrenches. Y

By a"block isineantthattwo sfildierssof thersame color or partners "on the same'space the"? trenches-and no-inans -laii d, noton neu- "tral' ground. A block cannot be pa'ssedf'by any soldier. Only 'tWO soldiers rcan "occupy *thesaine spaceat "the sainetime, excepton t g u y .must advance or retreat :fsingle" file "on. the

be'p cdemu, hencexnoftblocks canbe forind'ron the V -P Y Z 1* 1 -'trail. Anysoldieronthetrail may -becapibe'r as indicated byone'or both dice brings 'turedfo i d 'thesoldiertothe'exact spaceoccupietl byfan 1N an lan drigthe Space b twe n-th opponent. WVhenm s'oltlie1-isso -captured, trenches zand'tneutral ,L' rbund. "There" are the} soldiers. 1" by the spa'ces'in the tunnel "mu-1st be thrown heis returned to his I camp 5 or outpost and must 'be reentered. A sold-ier'may r retreat the i-iu nber' of spaces as 'shown oni one dice, it lbyso doingit 'brlngs 111mm trench on memenground, then advance a 'n-ur nber'iofspaces as shown on the *other di-ce to -lna'ke a capture; or this-'inovementmay-be reversed.

"The fort is the' centre-and final havenof The exact numbers indicated 'fiorentry. The ""fort 7 counts as "one space T he player Sorf'partners first getting all 'his vor their soldiers? in his or their fort= efforts,

Wins-the game.

60 v I The; path followedloy' the soldiersis/ra'dially out-Ward fro'm 'the startingpoi-nt to" the 'f neutral I ground; and after the neutral ground ias been crossed, the trail is radially" inward, 'Fth'ence circu-rriferentiallyacross the area 10 0 the'meXt'radi'al trailfthence radially out- 'lour spaces in each. no 1nafrsland. Two soldiers of the same; color "or partners .1 occupying the. same fspacefin i'no ""mans land 7 11 114 block which 'cangrnotLbe .passe'd: nor can they -be captured. iAys'ingle" soldierfinno. in'ians land can be tap'tured:'or1 'passed. The tunnel -is the space"between no nians land and the fortlcenter), Thereareseven spacesin' each'tunn el. A'tunnel canbe used only by the soldier..entering his fort-through thistunnel. iAts'oldi er enters the'tunnel-to the players left -ha-ving first completed the course around the board. LA soldier can not be captured in 1 his" tunnel, but as" 'it-iszvery 1 :narrow, soldiers ginust advance "'singleffile- No retreating -0r passing allowed gin' 'the tunnel.

'An' advance is the forwardjmovement of the: soldiers. Asoldier'advances the nurnber of spaces (not lineslasare indicated by the A double permits the advancing of one or all the soldiers as shown under caption dice.

I A player moves his own soldiers only and can not move those of his partner. 7 r A retreat is the backward movement of the soldiers. A retreat can be made only to capture a soldier, or to form a block, or to enter a trench or neutral ground. Soldiers can not retreat backof their entrance trenches. The movement is as indicated under caption Advance. 7

A capture can only be made when the number as indicated by one or both dice bring the soldier to the exact space occupied by the opponent. A soldier may retreat the number of spaces as shown on one dice, if by so doing it brings him to a trench or neutral ground and then advance the number of spaces as shown on the other dice to make a capture, or this movement may be reversed. The captured soldier is rturned tocamp and re-entered as shown under caption Soldier. 1

Blocks are formed when two soldiers ofthe same color or partners are on thesame space. Blocks can only be formed in the trenches and no mans land. A block can not be passed by any soldier. Only two soldiers can occupy the same space at the same time.

The fort is the center and final objective the soldiers must enter to win the. game. The exact number as indicated by the spaces in the tunnel must be thrown for entry. The

fort counts as one space. The player or partners first getting his soldiers in his fort 40 i wins the game- 7 I have thus described specifically and in detail a single embodiment of my game in order that the nature and manner of playing the same may be fullyunderstood; however,

thespecific terms herein are used descrip,. t vely rather than in a lnnltlng sense, the scope of the 1nvent1on belngdefined 1n the Lat claims.

What I claimv and desire to secure by ters Patent is: l I g 1. A game apparatus including aboard bearing a diagram provided with camp areas, neutral grounds between the outer, ends of said camp areas, radlal tunnel paths 1 from said neutral grounds to'the center of said board, a plurality of separatefort areas in the central portion of said board and a radially inward trail area on one side of each camp area and a radially outward trall area on the-other side of each camp area.

2. Game apparatus including a board bearing a diagram provided with camp areas, neutral grounds between the outer endsof said camp areas, radial tunnel paths w from said neutral grounds to the center of said board, a plurality of separate fort areas in the central portion of said board and a I radially inward trail area on one. side'of each camp area and a radially outward trailv area on the other side of each Icamp area,,said

game apparatus including chance indicating control means and aplurallty of men or pieces for each player, all of permanently,

fixed value.

Signed by me at Philadelphia,- Pennsyl vania, this 9th day of July, 1925. 7

CHARLES C. GROSS. 

